Clothes-rack



W. A. PURSLEY.

CLOTHES RACK.

No. 596,380. Patented Dec. 28, 189?. i

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UNITED STATES FFIcE.

PATENT \VILLIAM A. PURSLEY, OF SPENCER, \VEST VIRGINIA.

CLOTH ES-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,380, dated December28, 1897.

Application filed April 27, 1897. Serial No. 634,168. (No model.) I

-To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. PURSLEY, acitizen of the United States, residing at Spencer, in the county ofRoane and State of Test Virginia, have invented a new and usefulOlothes-Rack,of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a folding rack upon which tohang clothing or other articles when not required for immediate use,said rack being so constructed as to fold readily and unfold by simplymovin g a frame within a case, the latter being secured to thehead-board of a bedstead, wall, window-casing, partition, or otherconvenient support and presenting a neat and compact appearance.

For a full understanding of the merits and advantages of the inventionreference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the followingdescription.

The improvement is susceptible of various changes in the form,proportion, and the minor details of construction without departing fromthe principle or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and to afull disclosure of the invention an adaptation thereof is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front View of the rack asit will appear when folded. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of therack, showing it unfolded and a portion of the case broken away. Fig. 3is a plan section showing the relation of the parts when folded. Fig. 4is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the disposition of the parts whenunfolded.- Fig. 5 is a detail view of a pivoted bar. Fig. 6 is a detailview in section, showing the manner of connecting a hook to apivotedbar. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the coupling-bar.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in the several views of the drawings by thesame reference-characters.

The case comprises a base-plate 1 and a keeper 2, the latter beingbolted, riveted, or otherwise secured at its edges to the baseplate. Aslot 3 extends longitudinally of the case near the upper edge thereofand forms a guide for a lateral extension 4 of the coupling-bar 5, whichconnects the pivoted bars 6 in series.

A frame 7 of rectangular form is slidably mounted within the case, andone of its longitudinal bars, as 8, is removable to admit of the pivotedbars 6 being placed in position or removed for any required purpose. Aring or pull 9 is provided at the outer end of the frame 7 to be graspedwhen it is required to withdraw the frame from its case.

The bars 6 have trunnions 10 at one edge and a crank portion 11 at theiropposite edge, and are pivoted to the longitudinal bars of the frame 7by means of the trunnions 10 obtaining bearings in openings therein. Thecoupling-bar 5 connects the crank portions 11 of the pivoted bars 6,thereby compelling the pivoted bars to move in unison, which isessential to the simultaneous folding and unfolding of the rack. Thecoupling-bar 5 is provided with bearings at points in its lengthcorresponding to the position of the pivoted bars 6, and these bearingsmay be closed by a cap, as indicated at 12, or by means of a clamp-screw13, passing through ears projecting therefrom, whereby the coupling-barmay be placed in position or removed from the pivoted bars, as desired.The lateral extension at, provided at the inner end of the coupling bar,projects through the slot 3 and travels therein and limits the movementof the frame 7 in each direction and causes the folding and unfolding ofthe rack by engaging with the closed ends of the slot 3. Uponwithdrawing the frame 7 from the case the extension 4 will engage withthe outer closed end of the slot 3 and turn the pivoted bars 6 so as tothrow the pegs or hooks 14L outward in position to receive clothing orother articles, and upon moving the frame within the case the inner hookor peg, engag ing with the case, will fold and by reason of thecoupling-bar will cause the others of the series to likewise fold, aswill be readily understood. A web 15 is provided on the inner side ofone of the longitudinal frame-bars and limits the opening movement ofthe rack and causes the hooks or pegs 14 to stand at right angles to theplane of the frame 7.

The suspending means, the hooks or pegs 14:, may be of any desired formand are applied to the pivoted bars 6, and, as shown, they are fittedinto a mortise 16in each pivoted bar and are held in place by afasteningscrew 17, passing through an opening in the pivoted bar andinto an opening in the inner end of each hook or peg.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is 1. In afolding rack, the combination of a base having a guide, a frame slidablymounted upon the base, bars pivoted to the frame and provided withsuspending means, as pegs or hooks, and with crank portions, and acoupling-bar connecting the crank portions of the pivoted bars, andhaving an extension to engage with a portion of the aforesaid base tocause an unfolding of the rack simultaneously with moving the frameoutward, substantially as set forth.

2. In a folding rack, the combination of a case having a longitudinalslot, a frame slidably mounted within the ease, bars pivoted to theframe and having suspending hooks or pegs and provided With crankportions, and a coupling-bar connecting the crank portions of thepivoted bars and having a lateral extension operating in thelongitudinal slot of the case, substantially in the manner set forth forthe purpose specified.

3. The hereindescribed folding rack, comprising a case formed of abase-plate and longitudinally-slotted keeper secured thereto, a frameslidably mounted Within the case and having a removable side bar, barshaving trunnions at one edge obtaining bearings in the longitudinal orside bars of the frame and provided at their opposite edge with crankportions, suspending hooks or pegs applied to the pivoted bars, and acoupling-bar connecting the crank portions of the pivoted bars andhaving a lateral extension operating in the longitudinal slot of thecase, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM A. PURSLEY. lVitnesses:

M. F. LEVVELLEN, O. VANDAL.

